


A Memorial Day Hero

by Angelleap77



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:07:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24372517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelleap77/pseuds/Angelleap77
Summary: Sky tells the story to the younger trolls of a hero in their colony that never got the honor they deserved.
Relationships: Branch/Laurel, Creek/Guy Diamond, Sky/River
Kudos: 3





	A Memorial Day Hero

It was once again Memorial Day, a day that for the trolls involved all day story sessions of hero's long forgotten by their colony. Most of the younger trolls were close to 17 or 18 years old, not being quite old enough to remember anyone who had died a while back. As the trolls wake up, they start gathering at the main mushroom at the heart of the village where the stories would be told that day. It was still fairly early, the sun just barely peeking over the edge of the mountains in which the valley they currently lived in resided. As the sun slowly climbed in the sky, the trolls started becoming more and more active. The morning song with Queen Penelope, Poppy's granddaughter, was already underway. The song helped to wake up the trolls who had yet to wake up fully, causing a mass chorus by the end of the song from almost every troll in the village. The only trolls not really in the singing mood that morning were the trolls that would be telling the stories to the others.

Sky wanders out of his pod, feeling his age that morning of almost 60 years old. At his current age, he was considered one of the village elders since there wasn't too many others his age range or higher. His father, Branch, had passed away just 10 years ago. Very few of the younger trolls even remembered Branch. Fewer still even knew what he had done for the village. Sky glances back as his mate, River, exits the pod. The 59 year old spiritual male looked just like his own father, Creek, who had passed away during the winter months. Creek had been mated to Guy Diamond, who at the current age of 77, was also one of the village elders. Guy wasn't in good shape however, and was feeling sick as of lately, his shattered bond rendering him incapable of doing anything most days. Most of the trolls who were still around him figured he didn't have much time left before he joined Creek in the afterlife.

Branch, who had died 10 years earlier, had left behind his own mate, Laurel. Laurel was hanging in there the best he could, but his shattered bond from losing his mate and his current age of 80 years old was taking its toll on him. Laurel was doing everything he could to be there for the grandchildren who at that time were early teens, barely old enough to have even remembered Branch, let alone the journey to the valley shortly before Branch's passing. It was the journey to the valley that had done in the aging survivalist, getting injured severely along the way, and later dying of septicemia from the severity of the injuries and the bacteria that had set in before they could clean it up properly. Laurel was extremely tired that day, more so than normal. He wanted to be there for the story telling, but was worried he wouldn't be around long after that. He glances over at Sky, who was a spitting image of Branch, and smiles sadly at him, knowing his time was growing near. The heartache was becoming more and more difficult for him to endure.

Sky couldn't help but know the smile, having seen it on Branch's face prior to his passing. He sighs slightly and nods, knowing his time with his other father was limited now. "It'll be alright dad. He's waiting for you, him and the others who have gone before us. I just need to make sure his story is told, before I lose the chance to do so. It's only fair and right that even the younger generation knows what he did for the colony." He helps lead his dad to the mushroom so the story time could begin. He peeks around looking for River as they walk, noticing his absence rather quickly. Sounds of crying alert him to the problem moments later as he looks towards the now graying pod of Guy Diamond, indicating the passing of the sweet-natured glitter troll. River comes out of the pod a moment later, having faded gray in grief from the loss of his other father. Losing both parents within 8 months of each other was rough. Anyone who had experienced it would know the pain River was feeling at that time. Sky didn't really expect River to join in with the story time, so it rather surprised him when his mate joined him at the mushroom. "I'm here love. You still have me, for however long we are in this life."

As Sky looks out over the mass of trolls that had gathered, he joins hands with River to give him some comfort and support. "Alright everyone, happy Memorial Day to all of you. Normally we talk about the heroes that are known like King Peppy, King Aster, and various others. This Memorial Day however, we will be talking about another hero, one that many of you know. Some of you would be too young to remember him. That hero is my father, Branch. He did so many things for this colony and received little to no praise or recognition for what he had done for all of us. Roughly 60 to 65 years ago, my father was alone, being gray from the loss of his family. The day the colony escaped Bergentown during Trollstice was the day things changed for him and everyone else. He kept to himself in an underground bunker, preparing himself for the day when the Bergen's would finally find the colony and eat everyone. He constantly tried to warn everyone that their loud singing and parties would eventually draw the Bergen's right to us. They didn't listen to him and it was the Bergen Chef who found us. He was 25 years old the day the Bergen Chef found us. She captured several, taking them to Bergentown with her to prepare to eat them, and tried to get the King on her side. A fragile peace was made during that time between Bergen's and Trolls. The Bergen Chef was never heard from again. Those that had been captured were set free and peace survived for at least 3 years. At that time, the Bergen's lost the happiness they had gained. King Gristle and Queen Bridgette were assassinated and a new leader was put in place of them. That new leader ignored the peace between our people's and sent a large number of Bergen's here to capture us. I was just a baby the day they arrived but I can still remember the screaming of the other trolls of the colony, yells of terror as some were eaten right there on the spot, while others yet were being thrown into cages and locked away. Of our colony of 600 at the time, 200 of them were taken. The rest of us managed to get safely down into my father's bunker underground. We used the underground tunnels that he had dug out over the years to escape to another region to the West of here."

Sky shifts position a bit, lightly running his hand through River's hair as he told the story. "It took a month to get everyone to another location, one that we assumed was safe. We were mistaken, very very mistaken. When we emerged from underground, we popped up among a colony of Tokami, wild cats that snack on our kind and other small animals. We lost another 60 or so before we realized what was going on. The rest of us went back underground, following the tunnels yet again. We stayed in the tunnels, living off food supplies we had taken with us, for the better part of 6 months. By the time we emerged again, we had come across a nice little valley with food and water enough for those of us who had survived. My father helped set up homes for each of us that were there, making sure to put them in safe locations where predators would have a near impossible time getting to us. The area was good for us for close to 20 years, the same as the previous location. We had to move because of earthquakes. They started minor but eventually became so frequent, they split the village apart. We got lucky and managed to get away without further casualties. I tried to help where I could, but my father had specific ways he did things. I was better off watching and learning. We went searching again for another home, settling into a river valley for roughly 5 years before the supplies there started to run out. Needless to say, we had to move yet again. By that time, some of you were almost ready to be born. Your parents would remember the journey though, at least more so than any of you. My father decided at that time, instead of jumping from place to place, it was overdue that we find a more permanent location to live. He sent out some of his scout bugs to search random areas, some of them returning with bad news. One of them took longer than the rest to return, having been gone for almost 3 weeks. Keep in mind now, what takes one of our bugs 3 weeks would take us years to reach. That bug came back with word of this valley, sketching out in the dirt with its little legs the way to the valley deep in these mountains."

River glances up, knowing how much effort had gone into making the trip possible and the casualties along the way. Sky smiles softly and looks at the stunned faces of the other trolls. "Upon my father hearing about the valley, he did everything he could to inform King Aster, Queen Poppy's son, of the intended location to go to. King Aster was an amazing King, as great a ruler and leader as his mother had been before her own passing during the series of earthquakes. He took what my father suggested and set it into motion, pushing the colony towards the mountains, driven on by the promise of a valley safe from predators where our people could live in safety for.. basically forever. King Aster was lost along the way along with many of the village elders at the time. My own father was seriously injured during that journey as well, gashing open his side rather badly and causing infection to set in because we didn't have time to stop to tend to the issue. A blood ailment known to many of you as septicemia set in and did him in shortly after our arrival here at the valley. Were it not for my father though, our colony would either all be dead, or we would still be out there looking for a safe place to be. My father, because of his efforts to get us to this valley in which we all live now, makes him a hero. From this year on, he will be remembered as one of the colony heroes and be honored for all he did for us. Today as well, we mourn the passing of Guy Diamond, who in his own right was also a hero. He helped make sure our people were taken care of during the journey to this valley. A memorial stone is already in construction to remember all the colony heroes. Upon its completion, it will be placed at the heart of our village as a reminder to current and future generations of everything that they did for our people. Our current ruler, King Spruce, will guide you all into the future. It's hard to say how long any of us have, but we will do the best we can in the time we are given."

Sky turns and grins slightly as his twin daughters hug him and River from behind them, the girls looking very much like Sky himself in their teal blue skin but River's 2 tone blue and green hair. "Your grandfather would love seeing how you girls turned out." He raises an eye when Selena and Serenity laugh slightly. Serenity shakes her head a moment. "Daddy, really? He's been here the whole time watching and listening. He wanted you to know that he'll be waiting for you when it's your time to join him in the afterlife as well." Selena pauses a moment and stifles a whimper, but the look on her face said it all. "Grandpa Laurel will be joining him today though. If you want to say your farewell's, now is a good time." Sky looks up in shock and turns to his daddy Laurel. "He's here for you. You need not worry about us. We're gonna be just fine, at least till it's time for us to join you. I love you dad, I always have. Give daddy a hug for me huh?" As Laurel stood up and nodded, he headed back towards his flower pod, wanting to pass in the peace of his pod where he and Branch had spent so long together. It was soon after his entry into the pod, the pod turned gray, another spirit joining the afterlife, to be possibly reborn again in the distant future.

By the end of the day, the stories had been told, and heroes were mentioned. The memorial stone was completed and placed at the heart of the village in honor of those who had made it possible for them to reach this place with their lives. It would be another 20 years before Sky and River would join their fathers in the next life, watching over their loved ones for generations to come until the time came again for them to be part of the world.

...  
Happy Memorial Day to all and God Bless each one who has lost those they love. God Bless even the current Veterans who are still with us and will be honored in Memorial Day's later in the future.


End file.
